Timing rain and snow areas Wednesday

Get ready for a wet Wednesday for southern Minnesota.

Our inbound weather system brings rain — and probably some snow. The system looks warm enough to favor rain in most areas. But temperatures near freezing may produce some snow on the northern fringes of the rain shield.

Let’s break down the likely timing of precipitation Wednesday.

Western Minnesota: Morning onset

Rain showers may be mixed with snow as they move into southwest Minnesota Wednesday morning. NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model paints precipitation in southwest Minnesota by 7 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Twin Cities: Midday rain and snow?

Most forecast models push precipitation into the Twin Cities area by the midday hours Wednesday. NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model paints rain into the Twin Cities by 11 a.m. There’s also the notion of a narrow band of snow on the system’s northern edge that may creep into parts of the Twin Cities.

Accumulating snow chance

The air in the lowest mile of the atmosphere hovers near freezing Wednesday. That means snow may mix in or even become the predominant precipitation type at times. The most likely scenario is for a minor coating of slush around the Twin Cities. But a few models have been more aggressive with accumulations favoring the north metro area and points north of the Twin Cities. It’s going to be a close call for many areas.

Soaking rains

This system likely delivers anywhere from .25 inch to .75 inch of liquid precipitation across southern Minnesota. Saturday likely brings another shot of rain.

The forecast models are still pushing temperatures near the 60-degree mark next week.

Stay tuned.